Misty's Dilemma
by lS2l
Summary: Misty knows she's been replaced by Serena. In trying to move on, she's found herself in an even bigger pickle, following her sisters before her.
1. Chapter 1

_Here's a drabble I felt I had to write. I don't own P_ _okémon._

Reading one of Daisy's fickle magazines, Misty ignored the tell-tale signs of Ash's ringtone. He'd left her for yet another journey, and she'd been as devastated as every other journey before that, doing her best to support Delia. Even the woman had come to accept that her son was a drifter as surely as her husband had been. Misty had no idea how the woman could stay loyal to a man who was undoubtedly cheating on her, not even bothering to contact the woman or visit. However, knowing that was a few Litwicks she didn't want to burn, she'd always remained very silent on the topic. She'd always liked Delia, who'd acted more like a mother to her than the mother who'd abandoned her to the will of her sisters. No, she couldn't afford to offend the one woman who'd never given up on her.

Hearing her ringtone go off again, Misty bit back a wordless snarl as she tried, once again, to read a particularly dull article on makeup. Ash had been messaging her nonstop about _Serena_ and _Serena's_ achievements. Not only did she feel thoroughly replaced, but the man had disappeared off the face of the planet with his so-called travels. He'd been doing it for years, and even Brock hadn't heard from the insufferable man upon his return to Kanto. Whilst Misty had been able to tolerate May and Max, and Dawn as well, she'd begun to lose her patience when he'd not only replaced her with Iris, but Brock with some person called Cilan. Rather than initiate another argument, she'd simply rolled her eyes and told Brock to deal with the young man. Whatever Ash Ketchum was up to, she was done crying over him. At the time she'd had the good fortune of rekindling a relations with an acquaintance, or so she'd thought. Whilst it had been slow to initiate, like everything else, that had ended in a disaster, even if it freed her of her emotional attachment to Ash.

Now, though, when she was finally willing to accept that maybe, just maybe, he didn't care about her as much as she did him, the infuriating little boy had resurfaced, contacting her with touching memories of their first journey. It was almost as though he'd sensed she'd finally made an attempt to move on from him, and he wanted to cling onto the last dredges of tall grass for dear life.

With an angry growl, Misty slammed her hand on the table. She wouldn't think of him or the disastrous attempt she'd made at replacing him, even if Ash Ketchum was calling her every hour of the day-which he wouldn't.

No, she wasn't going to think of any male, no matter how _lovely_ they were. Even if he was calling in on her to fix the piping of her Gym, or offering to travel to Sinnoh with her to inspect the Luvdisc in their natural habitat. Men were a fickle distraction to what she really wanted in life-to become a water pokémon master.

Her eye twitched as she recollected the man who'd convinced her to move on from Ash. Not only had he been utterly gorgeous, with a hearty laugh and quick wit, he'd been her rock, supporting her in every way possible. Sure, he had some... questionable morals, but that was just the way he was. He wasn't going to change for anyone, and it left Misty feeling so... free. There wasn't any mucking around with faux affection, there was no replacing her. There was just pure, raw emotion, as she'd always wanted.

It was freeing after just how clueless Ash was.

Where Ash used to be the volcano to her watery storm, she'd always doused him before they could develop their relationship. He wasn't as capable of loving anyone romantically as her, her element had the upper hand against his, diffusing any emotion she'd cause. With this man, though, no. He was the ground that she nourished to create new life. He kept her grounded, reminding her of the way life was. He didn't muck around with any civil protocols, instead pushing her until she found herself wrapped in his arms, enjoying his hot, delicious scent. The man had a way of playing her like a Kricketune, and she'd loved every bloody moment of it.

Flushing as she remembered some of their... intimate adventures, Misty tried to return her attention to the magazine, her cheeks flushed with some of their more adventurous experiences.

Reminding herself to focus, she acknowledged that he'd left, as surely as Ash and Brock before him. If there was one thing this sad experience had taught her, it was that men were fickle. They were emotional, though they often pretended it was all the fault of the woman. They were brash, careless and didn't consider things thoroughly, and now she was sitting by herself in Cerulean feeling alone, with only Tracey on standby. Just thinking of the man almost made her gag. Not only was he with Daisy, but the man was far too soft and gentle for her overpowering confidence. Anyone who'd thought she'd have even the faintest hint of interest in the man had almost made her want to die of shame.

With a bitter grimace, Misty turned her attention to her device where, unbelievably, Ash Ketchum was still trying to get through to her. She considered answering it, in case something had happened to Pikachu, but decided against it. If anything had happened to the pokémon he would have made contact with Brock, too. At least Brock would visit her in person.

It was funny how her first crush was suddenly paying attention to her, but her thoughts were consumed by that of another, who'd left her hung out to dry as surely as Ash had before him. At least her replacement hadn't left her feeling the numb pain that Ash had, despite his empty promises. No, instead she felt the loss of his presence like a poison sting in the chest. She'd taught Gyarados fire attacks for a reason, though her trusty friend could only do so much against a human with instinctive moves charm, sweet kiss and more. Why she had fallen for such a smooth operator was beyond her. She'd seen her sisters-all of them-in similar situations before her, and should have known better. Instead, though, she'd followed the typical Sensational Sisters path. At least now her sisters might just accept her, especially considering what a dreamboat the man in question was. Not that she'd admit that to any of them, of course. She had pride, and shame. Besides, she didn't want her sisters getting their grubby claws into him if she could help it.

Running a hand through her orange hair, she turned her attention to her device, rejecting Ash's desperate attempt at contact. Scrolling through the list, Misty saw her own futile attempts at contacting the most elusive man she'd encountered. He'd given her some gibberish story about another woman and disappeared, probably back to Sinnoh. He'd left as abruptly as he'd come, and it left her aching for him.

With a soft sigh, she wondered how long she'd pine after him. He'd left her feeling so alive, accepted and free. And now, as soon as they'd established a mutual yet unspoken understanding of their relations, he'd disappeared, teleported like an elusive, shiny Ralts.

Dialing the extension she'd memorised, she waited, feeling the tears sting at her eyes.

'Hi, you've reached Gary, leave a message,' the familiar, deep voice grinned into the device, causing her heart to lurch into her stomach.

With an angered growl, she snarled, 'pick up your Arceus damn device, Gary! We need to talk, and you know it.'

Hanging up, she wished she could withdraw the message she'd left. She sounded clingy, desperate and alone, but damn him if she'd just let someone push her buttons in such a good way and just walk away. He knew her better than that, and she knew it. They'd shared everything to each other, both of them. She knew him as surely as she knew her pokémon and he knew his own.

No, what he was doing to her now was criminal. He was purposely hurting her, and she was damned if she knew why, or if she'd let the foolery carry on.

With shaky hands, she glanced at the device, seeing yet another message from Ash Ketchum light up her device. The man, to his credit, was as clueless as ever, and it was almost touching, if he hadn't just sent her a message about Serena.

With an angered snarl, she threw the device at the wall, watching with a sinking feeling in her stomach as it shattered into pieces.

Blinking back tears, Misty whispered, 'please, Gary, I need you. Ash has come back, but I don't want him. I want you, and I'm sorry.'


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi all,_

 _Thank you so much for your awesome feedback. I can't believe how positive the response was to this story. Honestly, I have no idea where I'm going with this, but we'll see where it takes us :)_

Chapter 2

The sound of the Pidgey outside pulled Misty out of her sleep, though she felt nothing but numb inside. Rolling onto her side, Misty groaned, hoping the mind-numbing pain would just leave. It was settled in her stomach like some poison, or worse, a bug type.

Shuddering, Misty buried her face deeper in her pillows, trying to stifle a groan at the sound of a knock on her door.

'Like, Misty, are you going to stay in bed all day? We've had three challengers that we've had to just give badges to,' Violet's voice drawled as the door opened.

'Go away!' Misty moaned, pulling the covers over her head.

'Come on, Mist, you know we're just worried about you,' Daisy frowned, closely followed by Lily's response, 'like, yeah. You haven't been acting like yourself at all.'

'Then take the hint and leave me alone!' Misty retorted through gritted teeth, not wanting to deal with her sisters' thick skulls at the morning, especially before breakfast.

'Wow, Mist, you don't need to be, like, so rude!' Violet gasped with a faux flare that grated the youngest woman.

'Rude? You're the ones who are barging into my room demanding I play nice like some fairy type!' Misty seethed, trying with all her might not to throttle the woman.

'Ok, girls, I think it's time I had a bit of a chat with Misty,' Daisy said, her eyes narrowed in annoyance.

Groaning, Misty flopped back into her bed as Violet and Lily left, muttering disapproving statements towards their youngest sister.

Daisy watched Misty seethe for a moment before stating, 'like, relax. You know they're just worried about you. Besides, you're completely acting out of character. By now, you would have, like, run along the Cerulean Cave and battled at least one challenger now. We mightn't be the best sisters or guardians, but we do care. Like, it's impossible not to.'

Hearing her oldest sister voice her concerns so readily, Misty sighed.

'I'm sorry, Daisy. I've just had a bunch of problems lately,' the young orange haired woman sighed, letting her shoulders sag slightly.

'Does it have to do with boys?' Daisy asked, almost making the youngest Sensational Sister squeal.

'I thought so! You are a Sensational Sister, after all!' Daisy teased with a knowing wink. 'So, are you, like, gonna tell me the goss?'

'What? No! I'm not telling you a thing!' Misty hissed at her older sister, who chuckled knowingly at her.

'Don't worry, I already know about Gary,' Daisy winked with a sly smile.

'What? How?' Misty spluttered, her cheeks reddening profusely.

'Well, when you, like, meet another Daisy, you tend to swap contact details,' Daisy winked before standing up, brushing off her clothing.

'What? Who's the other Daisy?' Misty questioned, blinking in confusion.

'His sister. It seems you've got both Gary and Ash chasing you, and neither of them know how to deal with it. Just pick the one that makes you happy, sis. Like, there's no use going for the guy that'll never be around or never offer you any help. Besides, it's not like lying in bed and crying for them is doing you or your self-esteem any good,' Daisy winked before walking away, knowing exactly which buttons to press to get her youngest sister thinking.

'But if they're that interested in me, how come they're both in other regions, with other women?' Misty questioned sadly, taking a moment to gather her willpower before exiting her bed. Her sisters were right, there was no point in moping around and feeling sorry for herself. She had to get out and do something about it.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hi all,_

 _Here's the latest update. I honestly have no idea where I'm going with this story, but we'll see :)_

Chapter 3

Watching Serena dance around in her newest bikini, Ash sent her a placid smile before glancing down at his Xtransceiver. She still hadn't returned his calls, and it was starting to bother him. He wasn't as thick as he was pretending to be, and it was hard to keep the act up. The Kalossian woman had made her intentions perfectly clear to him. Sure, he was tempted to take advantage of her faux naïveté, but knew better than that after what had happened with Dawn.

Besides, even if he seemed perfectly all right, he knew it would be unlike him taking out his pent up frustrations out on an innocent friend. It had been too long since he'd last heard from Misty, and he was becoming increasingly worried for her. He'd even gone so far as to mention it to Brock, who'd sent him a non-committed response that left him even more concerned for the Cerulean woman.

If Ash's suspicions were correct, Brock hadn't heard from her either. That only fueled his concerns, causing him to once again bring up her ID details on his Xtransceiver.

'Ash! Ash, are you listening to me?' Bonnie was scowling at him, crossing her arms in anger. She must have been trying to get his attention for a while with no success.

'What? Oh, I'm sorry, Bonnie,' Ash smiled awkwardly as he took a poffin that was offered by the youngest of the Kalossian trio.

'Pika?' Pikachu questioned as he hopped on Ash's shoulder.

The pokémon let out an eager cry upon recognizing the photo of Misty, though Ash didn't react to it.

'Ash?' Clemont questioned, though the Kanto man didn't respond, instead dialing a number he'd long ago memorised. He needed advise, and an objective mind, and he knew that the friends he was currently with would be unable to help. Misty was an enigma to him, unlike any other girl, or woman, he'd met, and he couldn't forget her.

'Hello, you've reached Pewter Gym, Brock speaking,' Brock's familiar voice spoke in his ear.

'Brock, it's Ash,' the Kanto man said, trying to swallow the nervous lump he felt in his throat.

'Ash, what a wonderful surprise!' Brock grinned eagerly, though Ash detected a hint of worry in his tone.

'Yeah, surprise,' Ash chuckled, scratching the back of his head nervously as he sought for a question to ask. 'So, how was your exam?'

'Yeah, it went well. I've passed this time around, but about 80 per cent of the other students failed. I'm just glad I'm through. I can finally start practicing officially, finally being able to help all of the sick and injured,' Brock grinned down the phone, sending a wave of guilt through Ash. His friend had achieved his goals, and here he was, running to him with an almost decade-old problem that he'd been running to the man with for the duration of their friendship. Brock had moved on from his travels, achieved his goals, yet Ash was still incapable of winning a League Tournament. Misty was an accomplished Gym Leader, Max was becoming a Ranger and Iris and Cilan were both working to become a dragon type master and Connoisseur respectively. It felt like he, May and Dawn were all struggling to achieve their goals, and they should have achieved them by now.

'That's great,' he responded, though felt none of the enthusiasm he was trying to portray.

'Is everything alright, Ash? You don't really sound like yourself,' the man questioned, a worried tone entering his voice.

'I'm fine, it's just... have you heard from Mist?' Ash asked, hesitating only slightly. If it was anyone he could trust not to make fun of him, it was Brock. The man knew him better than most and was as close as a mentor Ash had ever had. He'd seen Ash behave far more immaturely and recklessly than Gary and Samuel Oak combined—and they'd witnessed Ash being excessively silly.

'Ash,' the man responded with clear reluctance.

'What? Are you going to tell me that she's with Gary after all?' The younger Kanto man questioned irritably, having had a very heated argument with his childhood friend regarding said relations.

'No, it's just... you should give her some space, Ash,' Brock responded, his tone resigned.

'Space? Space?! I've travelled to other regions to give her space, how much more space does she need? I've given her all of Kanto and Johto, then Hoenn and Sinnoh! Arceus, after Unova, I got on a plane! How much more space does she need?' Ash snarled angrily, ignoring the concerned glances from his friends nearby, especially the dampened expression which Serena wore.

'We both know that you went to Hoenn and Sinnoh to figure out your own emotions and that I didn't just return to Kanto because I wanted to study. I could have studied while travelling with you if I chose to, but Misty needed my support more than you did. If you kept travelling further and further from home, that decision remained with you, not Misty. The fact is, you never returned to see her, and that did hurt her. Give her time and space, that's what she needs now. If she decides to contact you, she will,' Brock lectured, much like the father figure Ash had never had.

Grimacing, Ash responded, 'ok, thanks Brock.'

'Any time,' Brock responded with a smile, though it did nothing to appease the concerns of either of the men.


End file.
